Thoughts on Repironics High Performance Tubing

[twillson]

I've been using a Respironics Optilife for a couple of weeks with the recommended "high performance tubing" (hereafter HPT). I have also used HPT with my older Resmed Swift and Mirage Ultra II interfaces. I said in my optilife review, I think that HPT is a good product that might be useful to users of other interfaces.

When I say that Respironics suggested using its own proprietary tubing with the Optilife I thought it was mostly a scam to get you to buy more tubing. It is not. HPT is much lighter and much more flexible than standard tubing. It is designed to hang up on your sheets and pillow rather than sliding off the side of your bed like regular tubing. This is important for the optilife because the tubing attaches to a straight flexible tube below the interface and there is no easy way to rig it so that you can use your headboard to "feed" the tube down to the interface. Respironics says that the Optilife is the first of a series of lighter interfaces designed to make use of the new tubing. I would guess that we will soon see mask versions and maybe a comfort curve analog that feed the tube down rather than up.

I can confirm that the new tubing is a big help for the Optilife. You can use standard tubing with the Optilife, especially if you use the included clip or rout the tube under your pillow as suggested in the instructions. However the new HPT hose alows you to retain the hose by attaching it to itself in a loop that lies comfortably on the bed with you. The friction of the hose itself is enough to overcome any tendency of the hose to slide off the bed by gravity. I find this makes things really easy and flexible since all I have to do is put on the mask adjust the loop, and sleep. If you try this with regular tubing the loop forms a stiff and bulky "O" rather than a flexible hairpin curve and you and up fighting the hose every time you move.

So if you get the Optilife, go ahead and get the HPT.

I also find that my Swift and UMII interfaces work well with the HPT, although the advantage is less noticeable. I usually use the Swift with the hose attached to the headgear to prevent pulling at the nasal interface. The HPT makes it POSSIBLE to go without attaching the hose to the headgear, but in most cases I would recommend not doing that. With the hose attached on the side that my machine is on I don't see much of a difference between the hoses. If I try to attach the hose to the other side (away from the machine) the HPT is significantly worse because it doesn't "push" the hose out of the way when I move. Instead the hose forms a loop under my head that is annoying.

I have a problem with the UMII mask creeping up on my lower lip during the night and I have had to teach myself to sleep with the hose under my arm (under tension) to keep the mask in place. As a result, the weight and flexibility of the tubing is irrelevant. If you are a normal person, however, I think you will prefer the HPT for any standard mask because it doesn't pull when it is draped over the side of you bed.

A side note that will interest a lot of people is that using the "loop" method of hose management with the HPT reduces problems with condensation in the hose. I don't use a "cosy" and sleep with very little heat in the room. When I use a standard hose, the slack tends to fall to the floor where it is not insulated. Condensation tends to pool at this low point and if I have my humidifier to high I sometimes wake up with the dreaded "Gurgle." If you use a loop to take up the slack with the HPT there is not much bend in the hose between the machine and the bed, so the water doesn't pool as much. More importantly most of the hose length can be under your bedding leaving only the distance to your night stand exposed to the cold.

Of course YMWV depending on how and where you have your machine set up.

So the bottom line is that if your insurance wants to buy you a hose and it doesn't cost you any more, I would at least try the Respironics HPT with your setup. A standard hose from CPAP.com is so cheap, you can always buy one yourself if the HPT doesn't work for you.

But in most cases I think you will find the HPT to be a significant improvement.

In this case, it certainly isn't just marketing hype.

Let me know if you have any questions.

[twillson]

In case you were wondering, the bore size and connections on the HPT are dead standard. I think you could use it on just about any CPAP or mask without any problems.

[Snoredog]

the difference should be seen on the INSIDE of the tubing. The HPT should be very smooth on the inside with no "ripples" from the supporting ribs. A cheaper hose will feel rough on the inside and the ripples from the supporting ribs more prominent.

In an industrial dust collection setting, 10ft of ribbed flex hose is equal to having a rigid smooth duct 30ft long, in short it adds static resistance to the circuit. I would assume that ratio is about the same for a cpap hose (comparing a smooth HPT to a cheaper ribbed hose).

[dudley_doright]

....doesn't it come with the HPT?

[zzzzzz!!]

Thanks for posting your comments about this; it's interesting to read them.

The vendor from whom I purchased my OptiLife mask included a 6-foot HPT as part of the deal. I actually do find it lighter and easier to manage than my regular tubing.

Do you know if it exists only in the 6-foot length? Now that I'm using my humidifier and have moved it from the nightstand to the floor, I'd like to have a 10-foot HPT but haven't been able to find one... not sure if they make them or not.

[linda b]

And if it doesn't come with the OptiLife mask, where do you get it. I tried to find it on cpap.com and could not.

[Guest]

Linda - I PM's you! RichCMH

[ExpatDave]

I'd like to know where to find this tubing too.

[Snoozin' Bluezzz]

Me too

[RichCMH]

I got my HPT in a package deal with the Opti mask from an online supplier. Search google . com for cpap supplies and look for the cartoon moon with a cpap! It looks like they sell the hose alone too.

[zzzzzz!!]

I got my HPT in a package deal with the Opti mask from an online supplier. Search google . com for cpap supplies and look for the cartoon moon with a cpap! It looks like they sell the hose alone too.

I, too, bought my Opti mask there and was pleased with the service. They sell the performance hose at a reasonable price, whereas other vendors are selling it for $36!!

The main reason I went looking elsewhere was because cpap.com didn't offer it.

[RichCMH]

I have purchased two masks from this vendor because I found them to be the least (ahem, ahem) expensive and I love their shipping orders out asap.

-Rich

[leaveye]

Maybe I'm a bit too incompetent to locate this particular vendor through a search engine. Any other hint you could give, such as the web address or vendor name?

[dudley_doright]

Once you click enter the list will come up. It was the first one on the list.
I am sure our sponsor website can get it for you as long as you ask them. Not sure if they can include it with the mask.

[JimW]

I must also be deficient in my search skills. Don't find the site as described on the first page of results, let alone the first entry. (And I'm usually pretty good at ferreting out information via a google search.)